The Miserable
by Bassoonator
Summary: After the tragedy of the barricade, Marius finds himself losing his pregnant wife, Cosette, as well, leaving him on his own to seek comfort from those who remain: a quiet Eponine and a drunken Grantaire. Eventual Ep/M.


**A/N: Hello! Long time, no see. I haven't written much at all lately so I figured, why not? Here's a little something I thought of. I don't know if I'll continue it from here - I think I'd like to continue it, at least to a three shot or so but we'll see how you guys like it. I don't own anything obviously, so enjoy and please leave a review. x**

Her breathing was timid, as if her chest were afraid of the fall of a deep breath. Beads of sweat gathered on her brow, dripping into her blonde curls. Her eyes remained shut, squeezed closed. One of her slender arms lay across her bloated stomach, her opposite hand clenching the young man, Marius', hand.

"Breathe, my love," he whispered into the blonde woman's ear, pushing back her lovely locks of gold in a failed attempt of comfort. Cosette lay neatly on the couple's bed, dressed in her nightgown, several shades paler than usual with an unappealing red flush across her cheeks. Her breathing was shallow and her pain great. It had been several years since the revolution that took many, but not all, of the student's lives. Very few of the student's remained in Paris, let alone in this realm but those few that did - a drunk and depressed Grantaire and a forgotten about and entirely replaceable Eponine - did so silently. Very rarely did Marius associate with them at all, except to bring any excess food over when the couple had a good money week. Of course, these grew fewer and fewer when Marius and Cosette, now happily married, found out the splendid news: she was pregnant.

Marius had become extremely preoccupied, trying to earn as much money as possible aside from his usual income, working as a politics lecturer at a nearby university, as well as caring for Cosette in her weakened but glowing state. Cosette had to give up work near immediately after complications, leaving her job as an art teacher at a primary school, and being sentenced to bed rest. For Cosette, this gave her the time to prepare for her baby - she painted an intricate pattern across the baby's soon to be wall, bought a crib and the dribs and drabs that came with a new life. Life was going all too well for anyone to really think about those who did not die in the barricade.

Eponine had finally settled down, finding a job as a seamstress in a nearby factory. Eventually, she was able to afford the down payment on a rental property and moved into her new home. It was small, large enough for only a couple at best but it had a very comfortable feeling about it. Eponine, despite her new found home, was miserable none the less. The death of her small, adventurous brother had been a hard blow. She had refused to cry for many weeks, even as she watched his body be taken away and buried but eventually, after her first night alone in her new home, she cried and cried and cried. She missed work for a week, her body physically in too much pain to even attempt to get up. Of course, another miserable aspect of her life was the bond that Marius and Cosette shared. It's always hard to watch the entity of your unrequited love and to watch it flourish so quickly - to even sit in the wedding and watch the two stare at each other lovingly - it was having an old wound ripped open each time she saw them together. Of course, by now, at the ripe age of just 23, Eponine could easily find a husband. She had filled her figure passed her skeletal teenage years and her hair had grown to be healthy and long. Her eyes which once held a deep and tortured sadness now held... well, nothing had changed in that aspect. Eponine had met several men who had clearly shown their interest but none of these men appealed to her as Marius did so she remained by herself; on her own.

Grantaire was no longer recognisable. He'd always been invested in alone time with his bottles of various alcohols but what he did now made those days look like child's play. Grantaire's had bags upon bags under his eyes which were red tinged and veiny. He had allowed his hair to grow out, now sporting shoulder length hair and a rather unattractive beard. Grantaire was quite literally, a mess. He still had enough money invested away that he was good on rent for at least another few months but the money would soon deteriorate, as he was doing quickly. He failed to see the purpose in living, preferring to live out his days drunk and at least, pretending to be happy. Due to his drunken ways, he did not grieve. Not properly. The process of accepting his friend's deaths, especially Enjolras'... it was a hard concept for most people, let alone one who was drunk.

The two, as sad as they both were, very rarely spent time together. There was no reason for them too - they'd both lost any chance they had at spending time with the people they loved. Life had a cruel way of inflicting pain on those who deserved it the least.

Cosette remained on the bed, tears beginning to stream from her eyes. "Marius," she whispered, muffled by her lack of air. "Make it stop." Cosette was barely half way through her pregnancy, a mere five months pregnant and yet, she found her body working against her to remove the baby from her far too early. Her midwife, an elder Greek lady with greying curls and soft blue eyes caressed the young woman's face with a damp towel, motioning for Marius to walk out the hall with her. Marius pressed his lips to Cosette's head before following the midwife.

"Marius," the woman spoke in her thick accent. "It is time to say good bye."

Marius felt his heart skip a beat - no, several beats. His breath caught in his throat as a large lump filled it. "But she was doing so well...

"Her body is frail, Marius," the woman whispered, placing her hand on his shoulder. "Far to small and thin to hold a child. She was warned... but she chose to keep the baby and it had sucked the life out of her, Marius. Neither will survive. I'm sorry." The woman looked up at him with sad eyes, glistening with tears but trying to maintain her professionalism. "I will collect my things and be on my way."

Marius returned to Cosette and lay beside her, wrapping his arms around the shaking woman. Cosette was warm in his arms, running a fever and glittering from the fresh sweat. Cosette sighed into him, perhaps the first sign of any comfort in the several days Cosette had been trying to breathe since the pain began. She reached for hands and pulled them around her thin frame to her bulging belly, content.

"I love you," Marius whispered with great difficultly, feeling a hotness in his eyes he knew he couldn't ignore for long.

"I love you too," Cosette whispered, her eyes shutting. "I'm going to have a little nap while the pain is gone a little while, okay?"

Marius watched Cosette, with her long blonde curls, thick pink lips and button nose. How could he ever reply with anything else? How could he ever say '_no, stay awake for me,'_? Marius kissed Cosette's brow, pulling the whisps of hair behind her ear once more. "Of course."


End file.
